Businessman nabbed in Cagayan drugs bust

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) collared a businessman after selling 50 grams of suspected shabu during a sting operation in Cagayan over the weekend.

The PDEA identified the suspect as Elmer Pariñas, 39, a resident of Barsat East, Baggao, Cagayan.

The agency said that a drug transaction was hatched between a PDEA undercover agent and Pariñas who agreed to meet in Brgy. Cumao, Gattaran, Cagayan at 8 p.m. last Sunday.

Upon a pre-arranged signal, agents of the PDEA Regional Office 2 (PDEA-RO2) swooped down on the suspect after he handed-over a plastic sachet of suspected shabu weighing approximately 50 grams with an estimated street value of P150,000.

Pariñas will be charged for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. He is now detained at PDEA-RO2 jail facility.

PDEA agents previously arrested Pariñas on Nov. 19, 2009, but the case filed against him was dismissed by the court for lack of evidence.